As we fully welcome autumn, it’s time for some fresh wedding inspiration. Photographer Natalie Malis of Mist of Morning planned this styled shoot with a sense of renewal in mind. “Being outside under the glow of the sun and among nature has always been a big source of inspiration in my work, as has the feeling of joy itself,” she explains.
Natalie also purposefully highlighted Asian joy, as a Taiwanese and Chinese-American photographer, in light of the pains the Asian community has felt so heavily in the last year-and-a-half. Models Cecilia Wu and Kevin Zhang were the stars of the editorial. “Our radiant couple embodied the warmth and energy that I was hoping to capture,” she shares. “The strong connection between the two of them was really what brought this editorial to life.”
The shoot took place in the Washington Park Aboretum in Seattle, and for styling, Natalie was drawn to clean bridal styles that were striking and soft at the same time. “When I saw the silk wrap-around style of the Zelia blouse from Lola Varma with its luxurious, billowy sleeves, I knew I had to have it for this editorial,” she says. “Pairing it with the classic Delfina skirt was a no-brainer, and the floral detailing of the chapel-length Lunaria veil from Rime Arodaky was the finishing touch.”
Kelly Sullivan of Botanique was given full reign on the florals, and she absolutely delivered. “The burst of color and movement from her pieces provided the eyes with a visual feast,” Natalie adds. “I think her bold choices challenge the idea that wedding florals always have to be the light pastels that people expect.”
For the table setting, Little Carabao Studio created beautiful name cards, as well as the invitation suite. And the cake from Lady Grey Seattle was set aside and beautifully complemented the setting.
During the shoot, LiSun Goh Beauty was on-site to provide touch-ups to the beauty looks she created and at one point , the groom’s ring from Michellia Fine Jewelry was actually lost, because it was a few sizes too big and slipped off. A long while was spent searching for it, and luckily, they found it lying in the grass. Natalie says, “Take this as your encouragement to make sure your rings fit!”
Natalie also hopes that as bigger celebrations resume, “the intentionality of intimate weddings will remain and continue to inspire us.” After all, the smallest details often make the largest impact.
